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VOLUME 69, NO. 22nd Quarter 2019
A PUBLICATION OF THE NC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
NCLMNC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
Kings Mountain Mayor
Scott NeislerA Community on TrackLeague Unveils New Logo, Tagline
Broadband Tour Sparks Conversation
Whether you’re a small town or a large city, the NC League of Municipalities offers a wide variety of group benefits to cover your staff. We proudly offer:
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League members and other North Carolina local government entities are eligible for coverage. Contact us today for a quote!
NCLMNC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIESCONTENTS
5 Hudson Project ‘Connecting Arts and Business’
Here We Grow feature story
16 Metro Mayors an Affiliate of the League
Respective group leaders ink agreement to work together
22 Cyber Security Resources for Prevention and Protection in the Event of a Breach
You think you know the right steps to online safety -- but do you really?
33 Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis
Communities of all sizes affected
37 EnviroSafe Strengthens NC Fire and Rescue Service Delivery Systems Preferred Partners Spotlight feature story
38 League Partners With ‘Lead for North Carolina’
Placing effective, young people in small-town gov’t jobs
6 A Community on Track Kings Mountain and Mayor Scott Neisler share origins, enthusiasm
11 Second Town & State Dinner Focuses on Common Purpose
Capacity event built lots of goodwill
17 Broadband Tour Sparks Conversation on Access, Solutions
Dialogue highlights needs, ways for better connections and speeds
24 Ready for the Mission Rep. Holly Grange Reflects on Military Background, Full-Time Task as
Legislator
29 NCLM Has New Home (Again) Second move since the fire. Update your address book!
30 League Unveils New Logo, Tagline As Organization Looks to Future
Modernization followed intensive development process
6
2 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Southern City is a publication for and about North Carolina municipalities, published quarterly by the North Carolina League of Municipalities in partnership with Innovative Publishing, a national publisher of association and corporate magazines.
Volume 69Number 22nd Quarter 2019
Executive Director & Publisher: Paul MeyerEditor: Scott Mooneyham
Writer: Ben Brown
www.nclm.org
Southern City (USPS 827-280) is published quarterly for $25 per year ($2 per year to member municipalities, $1 for single copies) by the North Carolina League of MunicipalitiesPhone: 919-715-4000
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Southern City434 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1900Raleigh, NC 27601
ADVERTISING: For advertising inquiries, please contact Innovative Publishing, 844-423-7272 (toll-free), 888-780-2241 (fax), or [email protected]
USPS 827-280 Periodicals Postage paid at Raleigh, NC 27676 and additional mailing locations
WRITERS THIS ISSUE
Ben BrownCommunications and Multimedia Strategist
Scott MooneyhamDirector of Political Communication and
Coordination
INSIDE
1 Board of Directors
4 Speaking Out: Learning is the Key to Leadership
20 Risk Management Services Board of Trustees
21 From the Trust Perspective: Renewal Season Brings Member Visits, News of Stable Rates
32 Facing Forward: Business Continuity: Making Your Municipality’s IT and Other Systems Disaster Ready
40 Talk of our Towns
44 Taking the Field: Protecting Existing Property Owners
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 3
11
Pub
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ay 2
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• Vol
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69 Is
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2 • 2
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NCLMNC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
4 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
One of my favorite sayings
is, “If you stop learning,
you stop living.” As I begin
my term as president of your North
Carolina League of Municipalities, and
as we come out of our recently-held
annual conference, CityVision, which
took place in Hickory in mid-May, it is
an especially apt phrase to reflect on.
As I noted in my acceptance
speech as president at CityVision,
to be an effective leader, you must
evolve. And to evolve, you have
to continue learning, whether that
means learning about the policy
issues that are so important to
future of our municipalities and their
residents, or learning about the skills
needed to inspire people to follow
paths that lead to that future and
future success.
One of the great things about
CityVision is how it provides for a
forum of learning on multiple levels.
We have the opportunity to learn
from informative programming. We
have the opportunity to network
and learn from each other. We have
the opportunity to see up close
how the host city is addressing its
needs and challenges. We even have
the opportunity to learn about the
solutions that the vendors attending
can potentially offer to our towns or
cities.
And it is in that growth and
learning that we help each other
work collectively, through an
organization like the League, to come
up with solutions that can help all of
us. One aspect of CityVision this year
was the unveiling of our new logo,
tagline, mission statement and values
statement. That tagline – “Working
as One. Advancing All.” – could not
more clearly or concisely express this
sentiment.
We – municipal officials and
League staff together – are
committed to addressing problems
like a lack of quality broadband
access and opioid addiction. We are
providing for the insurance needs
of cities and towns – in efficient and
effective ways that limit liability and
prevent costs before they occur. We
are assisting cities and towns in the
face of tremendous population and
cultural change. And we have been
and continue to be a great resource
for providing innovative ideas and
best practices.
While the League staff is crucial
in providing this knowledge and
expertise, it is no more valuable than
your involvement.
After all, it is our collective voice
that makes our needs resonant with
state policymakers. And it is the ideas
of the individual that can be and are
shared with the many.
The journey of an elected official
is long, but it is a good long. I have
been fortunate to travel a path that
is mine. It has been a path with
many side roads. Those roads have
led me to many experiences. And
those experiences are a part of that
learning, that education.
As I begin down a new part
of that path, as president of this
organization, I look forward to
working with each of you as we
continue to grow and learn together.
As we do so, I know that we will, in
turn, be able to accomplish goals for
the benefit of others and be a voice
for a cause that betters our state
as we better each of our towns and
cities. SC
Learning is the Key to Leadership
Speaking Out
By William Pitt, NCLM President
“And it is in that growth and learning that we help each other work
collectively, through an organization like the League, to come up
with solutions that can help all of us.”
Hudson Project ‘Connecting Arts and Business’
the HUB Station and adding the
business angle with accessible space
for entrepreneurs.
Caldwell Community College and
Technical Institute’s (CCC&TI) Small
Business Center has settled into the
HUB Station’s second building, as
have other business tenants who
enjoy the space.
Ben Willis, Small Business Center
director (and mayor pro tem of
neighboring Lenoir), said the new
location gives the CCC&TI Small
Business Center “easier access to
the public and better exposure
not only for the businesses in the
incubation center but throughout the
community.”
He added that the location’s
affordability for business startups
“gives entrepreneurs in the region
an option that they may not have
considered before. Having a safe,
secure, and centrally located space
with all the amenities you would
expect in a modern day workspace
should be attractive to anyone
looking to get their business off the
ground.”
Meanwhile, the arts building is
burgeoning. The Western North
Carolina Society of Artisans has
leased space there, set up an art
gallery and begun offering classes.
The town additionally is working with
the Caldwell County Arts Council to
At the expansive HUB Station
off Cedar Valley Road
in Hudson, the Caldwell
County town and its 4,000 residents
have a lot more than just a spot
for local commerce. The focus is
regionwide economic development
and empowerment for the creative,
with the slogan: “Connecting Arts
and Business.”
Having just celebrated an open
house that showed visitors a wealth
of available space in the campus’
two buildings — one focused on
arts; the other on business-boosting
— the HUB Station is “an initiative
to promote economic growth and
community life by connecting the
arts and business on one site,”
explained Kathy Carroll, chair of the
HUB Station Steering Committee.
HUB stands for Hudson Uptown
Building, the former moniker of what
originally housed a school in the
1940s and later came under the Town
of Hudson’s ownership. In 2003, the
Hudson Board of Commissioners
opened the revitalized HUB as an arts
and events center.
“It has been a great success,”
Hudson Town Manager Rebecca
M. Bentley said, “but the Board
is committed to creating an even
better, unique business and arts
environment” and have shown as
much by rebranding the facility as
In each edition, Southern City will regularly feature one of the local stories
uploaded by member municipalities to HereWeGrowNC.org as a part of
the League’s campaign promoting investments by cities and towns that
aid economic growth. To learn how your local story can be featured, go to
HereWeGrowNC.org.
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 5
continued on page 43
6 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Kings Mountain Mayor Scott Neisler, a native, lives and breathes his hometown with deep, personal connections. Photo credit: Ben Brown
By Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 7
Asked for an anecdote
on the spirit of
his native Kings
Mountain, the western
Piedmont town of about 10,500
people, Mayor Scott Neisler
recalled hearing a woman sing the
National Anthem at a community
gathering downtown.
It was just off on the main strip,
broadly shared by pedestrians,
motorists, and an active rail line.
Sure enough, as the crowd enjoyed
the vocalist, a train’s howl crept in.
“And then the train goes by,”
the mayor said. “And it drowns her
out.”
But the singer kept on.
As it happened, Neisler thought
about how similar occasions in
larger cities are dampened by, say,
jet engines overhead. And about
how the loud-charging downtown
train had root meaning for this city
founded in 1874. While he would’ve
loved to have heard the song, “You
embrace it for what it is,” he said
of the situation. “Had we not had
the train, we wouldn’t have this
community.”
Southern City spent time
recently with Neisler to learn his
personal backstory and mission
in public service. Appropriately,
both have ties to the very Kings
Mountain origins he was just
describing.
Developed around and
supported by rail access, Kings
Mountain’s very first mayor, W.A.
Mauney, was Neisler’s great-great
grandfather. Mauney opened
what’s believed to be the city’s
earliest business, sensibly close to
the popular train depot.
“And then I had another
grandfather, H.P. Allison, who was
(mayor) also,” Neisler added. “He
was probably fifth or sixth down
the line.”
Kings Mountain and Mayor Scott Neisler
Share Origins, Enthusiasm
A Community
on Track
But a mayor in his town’s form of
government has plenty of duties. And
if the office’s best external strength is
community morale, communicating
context and championing productive
causes, Neisler has it covered.
One of the first things he
presented Southern City upon
visiting was a just-inked press release
about the City of Kings Mountain
council. Two years later, he was
mayor in his first of two stints (1991-
99 and 2015-present).
“I don’t know why I decided I
wanted to be mayor,” he said with
a laugh, “because obviously you
don’t have a vote.” On city council,
his votes generally only come in to
break (rare) tie votes among board
members.
But it wasn’t bloodlines or train
tracks that specifically connected
Neisler to civic duty, which he
formally entered in 1989 as a city
council member. The Kings Mountain
native explained that he, prior, had
been away in Florida for school, and
came to miss and better appreciate
his home turf.
“I would come home when I’d
be on break and take landscape
pictures,” he said. “In fact, I remember
coming back wanting to be on city
council. And I asked a city council
member and he said, ‘Scott, you’re
just a little too young, yet.’ I think I
was probably 23.”
But it stayed on his mind and
by the time he was 34, he was on
8 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Above: Mayor Neisler catches up with the audiovisual team outfitting
a new amphitheater in downtown Kings Mountain.
Right: Tracks run through downtown with loads of meaning for this railroad-born
community. Photo credits: Ben Brown
energy affordable for all our citizens.”
The city has integrated smart-
meters as well to better follow the
health and usage of the system and
pounce on problems, like outages.
The mayor made sure to exhibit
cutting electric rates by an average
of nearly 11 percent for residents and
12 percent for industrial users.
It follows the Jan. 1 welcoming of
the Florida-based NTE Energy as
the city’s new power provider in a
switch from another company. King’s
Mountain subsequently became
home to a 475-megawatt natural
gas-fired power plant with cost-
friendly efficiencies that have in turn
become part of the area’s economic
development dialogue. “The mission
of Kings Mountain has always been to
be one of the greatest places to live,
work and play,” Neisler says in the
press release. “That includes making
the central monitoring room as he
led Southern City around Kings
Mountain.
Neisler grew emotional discussing
other people-focused initiatives in
town, like Send-A-Kid to College. This
Neisler-original program is meant to
reduce financial burdens of higher
education with scholarships funded
by local utility customers who opt in
to paying a few extra bucks on their
bills.
Another program, courtesy of area
industrial resident Cormetech, funded
the provision of food to needy kids
in town. “We had a day up here in
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 9
Above left: The Kings Mountain Energy Center comes by way of a new power partnership bringing more affordable energy to locals. Photo courtesy of Mayor Neisler
Below left: A crafted waterfall charms a new park being developed in town. Photo credit: Ben Brown
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Academy
10 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
team that he covered on-air. It was
in a distant town, and he said the
Kings Mountain contingent in the
stands and on the sidelines far
outnumbered the home team. “They
just had a smattering of people on
the other end, because it was an iffy
night, rain-wise. But that’s the sort of
support that everybody has for this
community.... This is a great place to
be a representative of. It makes me
proud every time.”
He said he felt it just as strongly
about it between his stints as mayor,
and he credited the mayor and
council seated in that stretch for
working together and advancing the
town.
Additionally, he expressed thanks
for great interplay between the city
and one of its more prominent sons –
state House Speaker Tim Moore, who
hails from Kings Mountain.
Projects in progress or in
discussion today there include
new streetscaping for downtown
and the completion of an adjacent
amphitheater park perfect for
seasonal festivals, prom photos or
just open space for personal peace.
He said locals’ excitement for it is a
beautiful driver.
“It’s the people that make things
go,” the mayor said.
As Neisler drove Southern City
around various other conversation-
worthy parts of the city, clouds that
had been darkening overhead all
morning eventually broke into a
dump of hard rain. Staring through
his water-pummeled windshield, he
noticed a gentleman walking at the
roadside in the opposite direction,
no umbrella and miserably soaked
through.
The mayor was true to character.
“I know this guy,” said Neisler, who
began turning the car around. “I’m
going to give him a ride home.” SC
expert, is also the man behind the
city’s July 4 fireworks display, and has
been for decades.
If that wasn’t enough for this
mayor about town, Neisler is also
a longtime local radio personality
covering sports and owns an AM talk
station, WGNC, where he works full
time (following nearly four decades
with his family’s textile business in
neighboring Shelby).
Per regulations, Neisler can’t blend
his mayoral work with the airwaves.
But the way he described it, the
vocation dependably surfaces in
the kind of community spirit driving
Kings Mountain anyway.
“That’s one of the things I love
about it,” he said before describing
an away-game for the high school
the back parking lot,” Neisler said,
referring to the City Hall property, as
tears welled. “Four hundred boxes
(of food) that last a week were
distributed through the city. Now you
tell me that’s something you can’t be
proud of.”
This mayor’s enthusiasm for local
well-being makes him well known
to Kings Mountaineers. Over lunch,
a number of his conversations
were with other tables or with
folks stopping by his to introduce
themselves, briefly mention issues or
just to wish him well.
Just outside the lunch booth
window were downtown trees Neisler
personally rigged up with lights for
festive pops at gatherings. Southern
City also learned Neisler, a pyro
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OFFICES IN CHAPEL HILL, CONCORD AND RALEIGH
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 11
Senate leader Phil Berger of Eden,
Sen. Valerie Foushee of Chapel
Hill, House Speaker Pro Tem Sarah
Stevens of Mt. Airy, and Rep. Gale
Adcock of Cary. The underlying
theme was unity for a growing and
changing state, while President
Lazzara highlighted the fact that
cities’ and towns’ legislative goals
-- on infrastructure needs, economic
growth, fiscal health and more --
reflect diversity in the state’s 540-
plus municipalities and 170 legislative
districts.
“I would like to thank the N.C.
League of Municipalities for inviting
me to speak last night at their
in the ensuing months of General
Assembly lawmaking.
“We all have a common goal of
creating a better North Carolina --
one that makes each of our towns
and cities better places to live for
our citizens,” said the League’s then-
president, Mayor Pro Tem Michael
Lazzara of Jacksonville.
After tightly attended daytime
learning sessions on hot topics like
affordable housing and adequate
broadband access, city and state
officials kicked off a networking
reception before the main event,
emceed by Mayor Pro Tem Lazzara
with special guest speakers including
Sometimes the charge of
“working together” comes
off a bit passive – more
of a guiding idea than
immediate action. But when the
League introduced its Town & State
Dinner event – bringing municipal
officials and their legislators
together for close conversation and
a dinner program – it wouldn’t just
be an eat-and-go-home affair.
That proved true in February at
the second edition of the Town &
State Dinner, attended by a capacity
crowd at the Raleigh Convention
Center as the legislative long session
got underway. It was the perfect
time for municipal officials and
legislators (many of them new in
their roles) to discuss the common
purposes that they could maintain
annual Town & State Dinner,” Senator
Berger posted to his Facebook page
following the gathering. “Cities and
towns play a vital role in providing
core services to millions of North
Carolinians and I appreciate the
great work that our local elected
officials do every day.”
Both Berger and Stevens touted
legislative efforts that have improved
the state’s economy, while also
acknowledging areas of the state
that have lagged in the aftermath of
manufacturing-job losses and other
challenges, and that state and local
officials must continue addressing
those needs. Foushee discussed the
Second Town & State Dinner Focuses on Common Purpose
By Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
Senate leader Phil Berger (right) shakes hands with League Executive Director Paul Meyer following remarks he delivered at the 2019 Town & State Dinner. Photo credit: Ben Brown
12 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
close work of municipal and state
officials that benefits all residents,
while Adcock noted her experience
on the Cary Town Council and how
that informed her understanding of
municipal government needs.
It was a great continuance of
the spirit created at the dinner’s
successful first edition, in May 2018
and with special guest speakers
including House Speaker Tim Moore.
The event stood in as an effective
alternative to the Town Hall Days of
previous years, in which municipal
officials gathered in Raleigh to lobby
for local and statewide goals at the
General Assembly.
The 2019 Town & State Dinner was
once again warmly embraced by
League members. Mayor Don Hardy
of Kinston stated on Twitter: “It was
a great turnout. A strong show of
support from our local government
officials and NC delegation!!
#NCSTRONG!!!”
The League would like to thank
all legislators and municipal officials
who made the 2019 Town & State
Dinner such a meaningful occasion
and for actively working together to
make North Carolina the best it can
be. SC
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 15
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16 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
A fter signing a
memorandum of
understanding late
last year, the N.C.
Metropolitan Mayors Coalition in
late February entered into a formal
affiliate agreement with the League.
The agreement was signed by
Metro Mayors Coalition Chair and
Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan
and League Executive Director Paul
Meyer during a meeting of the NCLM
Board of Directors held just prior to
the 2019 Town & State Dinner and
the programming that accompanied
that event.
The agreement contemplates
fully integrating the Metro Mayors
Coalition into the League in year
two.
Vaughan said during the meeting
that the agreement showed “that
our municipal family in our state is
strengthening our bonds.” Both she
and then-NCLM President Michael
Lazzara noted that the agreement
furthers the ability of municipal
government in North Carolina to
speak with one voice.
The League and the Coalition
previously had an affiliate
relationship, from 2001 until 2013, in
which the League provided in-house
services. While existing as separate
entities, the Coalition’s membership
fully overlaps with that of the
League. The Metro Mayors Coalition
represents the viewpoints of mayors
from the state’s most populous
cities.
The agreement follows years
of discussions between the two
organizations, with both recognizing
the value of working together.
“The League staff is dedicated to
helping the mayors of North Carolina
act in concert as thought leaders
on the important challenges facing
our state. Through this agreement
with the Metro Mayors Coalition and
through the formation of the affiliate
group the N.C. Mayors Association,
we believe we are better positioned
now to do that and work to make all
of our cities and towns better places
to live for our residents,” Meyer said.
Already, League staff is working
with the mayors groups on efforts
around key League policy goals to
address affordable housing and the
extension of the historic preservation
tax credit, which has been key to
downtown revitalization projects in
municipalities of all sizes.
The two mayors groups have
approved a joint resolution
advocating for the extension of the
tax credit, and mayors from key
legislative districts have been taking
part in a campaign emphasizing the
importance of individual projects in
those districts. SC
By Scott Mooneyham, NCLM Director of Political Communication and Coordination
Metro Mayors an Affiliate of
the League
League Executive Director Paul Meyer and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan sign documents making official the Metro Mayors’ affiliate agreement with the League. Photo credit: Ben Brown
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 17
Community leaders and
residents turned out in
large numbers at the
end of January for three
regional meetings to hear local,
state and national experts discuss
broadband access, how public-
private partnerships can address the
state’s digital divide and the policy
impediments to those partnerships.
The Let’s Connect NC tour – with
stops in Albemarle, Fuquay-Varina
and Jacksonville – was billed as
a conversation to engage local
residents, and that is exactly what it
did.
More than 80 people attended
the meetings – sponsored by the
League, the Minneapolis-based
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
(ILSR), and NC Broadband Matters --
in Albemarle and Jacksonville. While
a cold rain and the threat of ice held
down attendance in Fuquay-Varina,
the 40-plus people at that event also
sparked insightful dialogue about
broadband access and where needs
exist for better internet connections
and speeds.
Christopher Mitchell, Director of
Community Broadband Networks
for ILSR, pointed out that North and
South Dakota, two of the most rural
states in the country, enjoy some of
the best access to high-speed fiber
broadband networks because those
states have embraced public-private
partnerships and utilized telephone
and electric cooperatives to bring
service to residents.
In North Carolina, meanwhile,
Mitchell said the state enjoys
relatively good access in urban
areas but some of the worse access
in the nation in rural parts of the
state. In Jacksonville, League Chief
Legislative Counsel Erin Wynia
noted that there are urban areas that
also have gaps, but picked up on
that theme when saying the state’s
broadband landscape is a story of
haves and have-nots, a situation that
has to be addressed.
Then-League President and
Jacksonville Mayor Pro Tem Michael
Lazzara provided opening and
closing remarks in Jacksonville,
touting the League’s efforts and
a policy goal of removing state
policy barriers to the public-private
partnership model in which local
governments invest in fiber and
other infrastructure and lease that
infrastructure to retail providers.
By Scott Mooneyham, NCLM Director of Political Communication and Coordination
Broadband Tour Sparks Conversation on Access, Solutions
Fuquay-Varina Town Manager Adam Mitchell leads off a tour stop in his community. Photo credit: Scott Mooneyham
18 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Albemarle City Council member
Martha Sue Hall, a member of
the League’s Risk Management
Services Board of Trustees, opened
the meeting in Albemarle. Fuquay
Mayor John Byrne and City Manager
Adam Mitchell opened the event
there. And in Jacksonville, state Rep.
Phil Shepard also provided remarks,
while Rep. Wayne Sasser spoke in
Albemarle.
The events included panel
discussions that involved local
community leaders and innovative
internet service providers. A
question-and-answer session led
to, at times, provocative questions,
including from one resident who
wondered how a neighbor could
have broadband access when his
only option was satellite service.
Among the panelists were
Greg Coltrain, executive vice
president at RiverStreet Networks;
Alan Fitzpatrick, CEO at Open
Broadband; John Coggin of the N.C.
Rural Center, Capt. Daniel Callender,
communications officer for Marine
Corps Air Station New River; Beth
Bucksot, Pamlico County Economic
Development Director; and Ken
Russell, Chief Information Officer at
Pfeiffer University.
Mitchell, in his keynote remarks,
pointed out how reliability for other
infrastructure that Americans rely
on – electricity, water, natural gas --
were now a given and expected.
“Broadband has not worked that
way for most Americans,” Mitchell
said. “We can solve that.”
He noted that large
telecommunications providers such
as CenturyLink and AT&T have no
financial incentives in rural areas to
keep facilities up-to-date, as they
see higher profit margins in more
densely populated urban areas.
Meanwhile, both of those
companies have received hundred
of millions of dollars from federal
taxpayers in recent years to provide
service in rural areas.
As Mitchell made the point, that
led to further discussions of the
public-private partnership model
that the League has advocated.
Panelists at a tour stop in Fuquay-Varina point out that broadband has become core infrastructure today. Photo credit: Scott Mooneyham
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Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 19
The tour generated not just local
public interest, but also interest
from the media and from the
larger incumbent internet service
providers in the area. Newspapers
and television stations provided both
day-of coverage and broadcasts
or published pieces afterward.
Incumbent provider Windstream
used the Albemarle event to
announce that it planned more
investment in fiber. Meanwhile, a
CenturyLink representative met
one Onslow County representative
outside of the Jacksonville event,
which was livestreamed by the city,
after he complained about being
surrounded by homes with service
while he had to rely on spotty
satellite service.
The tour served to help generate
momentum for policy changes as
the 2019 legislative session began,
and it became clear in the weeks
afterward that better broadband
access is a key priority of legislators
as well, with a number of broad-
band related bills being filed.
The bills include HB 431 FIBER
NC Act, which would broaden local
government authority to enter
into broadband public-private
partnerships and clear the way for
them to accept grants to make
broadband-related investments.
That legislation – sponsored by
Reps. Josh Dobson, Jeff Corbin,
David Lewis and John Szoka –
would, as filed, accomplish a top
legislative goal of cities and towns
and lead to a much more active
public-private partnership landscape
in which smaller internet service
providers would more fully engage
with local governments, bringing
better broadband access to more
residents and generate more
business activity in rural areas of
North Carolina. SCLate January’s broadband tour brought out healthy crowds of residents and officials seeking solutions together. Photo credit: Scott Mooneyham
Governmental/Municipal Law Workers’ Compensation
Eminent Domain/Condemnation Utilities Law
Environmental Law Corporate Law
Employment Law Estate Planning
WILSON ● RALEIGH ● KINSTON
www.cauleypridgen.com
TOLL FREE: 1-877-641-8848
20 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Our Cyber Liability Coverage provides protection for members in the event of a security breach and provides access to valuable cyber security training.
We’re Hereto protect you in person and online.
ChairSteve Maher
Mayor, Waxhaw
Vice ChairJody McLeod
Mayor, Clayton
Miles AtkinsMayor
Mooresville
Joe Gibbons Mayor Lenoir
Martha Sue Hall Mayor Pro Tem
Albemarle
Angela KirkwoodHR Director High Point
Glenn LeGrande Risk Manager
Durham
William Morgan Council Member
Statesville
Richard Olson City Manager Elizabeth City
S. Mujeeb Shah-Khan City Attorney
Monroe
Richard Woodruff City Manager Jacksonville
Risk Management Board of Trustees
2017-2018
NCLMNC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
Ex-Officio Paul Meyer, Executive Director NC League of Municipalities
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 21
This spring, League staff
traveled across the state
to share insurance and risk
management information with our
members. At each of the eight stops
in the “spring tour,” we had the
opportunity to visit with members –
both members of the League’s three
insurance pools and those interested
in learning more about them – and
covered renewal information for the
health, workers’ compensation and
property casualty programs.
A benefit of the League
membership, our insurance pools are
self-funded and member-governed
by a 12-member Board of Trustees.
Members of the Board of Trustees
represent a cross-section of North
Carolina cities and towns and are
elected officials and appointed staff
tasked with overseeing the direction
of the three insurance programs.
They serve as representatives of each
of the pools’ memberships, and are
charged with establishing policies,
setting rates and approving special
services. Consultants assist the
Board with investment management,
actuarial study and financial audit.
Just like the League’s founding
member municipalities realized in
1908, cities and towns are stronger
when working together; the same
held true more than 30 years ago
when municipalities were having
difficulties getting insurance
coverage that met the unique
needs of local government. The
League’s membership established
three insurance pools to address
these challenges, and since then
League staff have provided claims
management, risk control and
underwriting practices for the pools.
The Board of Trustees met in
February to approve rates for the
2019-2020 fiscal year. Despite the
devasting impacts many members
experienced from Hurricanes
Florence and Michael and significant
reports of employee injuries and
liability exposures, we were able to
share some encouraging news with
our members about renewal rates for
the upcoming year.
The Property and Casualty Trust
will receive a flat renewal for 2019-
2020, while most of the class code
rates for workers’ compensation
were reduced. Our goal is to provide
members with a level of service
that is unmatched and to provide
stable rates. Given the significant
rate increase we are seeing from
many reinsurers as a result of natural
disasters across the country, a flat
renewal for property this year is
another example of how the Board
of Trustees is working to provide
stability to members during a volatile
time.
The Health Benefits Trust
experienced significant growth
this fiscal year. The League offers a
program that is designed to respond
to the diversity of North Carolina
municipal and county operations.
From the smallest towns that have
medical claims pooled, to large cities
and counties that are individually
underwritten based on their claims
experience, the League has a plan
design that can respond to your
health insurance needs. Unlike many
commercial carriers who only offer
a few base plan designs, the League
has 20-plus standard plans or can
customize a plan to meet your needs
without any additional administrative
fees.
Keep in mind that while the
renewal rates for property and
casualty are remaining flat and most
workers’ compensation class code
rates are decreasing, a member’s
individual rates are determined by
several variables, including payroll
and appraised values for buildings.
A major determining factor for a
member’s insurance premiums is the
claims they experience. That’s why
the League strives to help members
prevent losses and contain their risk
exposures as part of the standard
From The Trust Perspective
Renewal Season Brings Member Visits, News of Stable RatesBy Bryan Leaird, NCLM Associate Executive Director of Risk Management Services
continued on page 43
22 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
demanded that they member pay a
fee to have its information released
back to them. Instead of paying the
ransom to criminals who could not
be trusted, the member chose to
rebuild its information technology
systems from the ground up. Even
though this is a costly solution that
can be time consuming, rebuilding
provides the benefit of incorporating
even stronger cyber security
protections for the future.
While many cyber crimes
seemingly hit fast, the planning
and preparations leading up to the
attack are often a slow build, with
e-criminals waiting for just the right
time to strike. In our member’s
case, the e-criminals were preying
on vulnerabilities and chaos in the
aftermath of Hurricane Florence.
Cyber security. It’s a
term we are all familiar
with, but do we really
understand the steps
to take, or more importantly, the
risks involved if we don’t take those
steps? Are the protections your city
or town have in place enough?
The N.C. League of Municipalities
has partnered with Willis Towers
and Watson and Beazley Breach
Solutions to provide cyber liability
coverage that helps members deal
with – and pay for – the aftermath of
a breach. This coverage is a standard
offering under the League’s Property
and Casualty coverage line, offering
coverage of up to $100,000 toward
the aftermath of a cyber security
breach (Members can purchase
higher limits). But like most property
and casualty insurance products, you
don’t really want to have to test your
coverage because that means there’s
been a loss.
If your municipality needs to make
a cyber liability claim, we will be
there for you, but like with all our
other coverages, the League and
our partners believe that prevention
is key. In addition to the coverage,
members also gain access to cyber
liability training and resources that
help identify risks and prevent
catastrophic losses. And that’s
what cyber losses tend to be –
catastrophic.
Consider this: last year, one of the
League’s members suffered a cyber-
attack that stole and encrypted the
member’s databases and locked
out employees; the ransomware
CYBER SECURITY
RESOURCES for PREVENTION and PROTECTION
in the EVENT of a BREACH
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 23
Extenuating circumstances like
chaos of a natural disaster aren’t the
only opportunities for cyber crime,
however. Attackers also prey on
the vulnerabilities associated with
human error.
“Cyber Security Awareness
Training for employees is one of
the most critical steps an entity can
take to avoid breaches,” explained
Mike Honeycutt, CIC, Senior Vice
President at Willis Towers and
Watson.
Honeycutt adds, “the majority of
digital attacks attempt to exploit
the human factor through phishing
and other related efforts. Historical
stats show that a high percentage
of attackers gain entry to entities
system from successful phishing
scams.” That’s why employee
training is a critical component of
any cyber security plan. Employees
need to recognize cyber security
threats and understand exactly
what is at stake in the event of a
breach. Understanding the risks,
and their role in that risk, can
increase employees’ awareness and
accountability when it comes to
preventing breaches.
As part of our partnership, the
cyber security coverage includes
training for League members
who participate in our property
and casualty insurance program.
Members can access this free
training through Beazley’s
online training site, www.
beazleybreachsolutions.com. The
training includes the following
interactive training modules:
• Phishing prevention
• Malware protection
• Mobile device security
• Wi-Fi practices
• Identity theft prevention
• Smarter, better passwords
• Smarter, better email
• Spam prevention.
Members can upload a list
of employees, create training
assignments for their employees,
and track individual completion
of training. If you are a member of
the League’s property and casualty
insurance program and your staff
hasn’t take advantage of the free,
online training included with your
coverage, contact us to get set up.
SC
Preparation and insurance coverage are key components to combat cyber attacks. Photo credit: Shutterstock
WWW.WITHERSRAVENEL.COM
SECURED OVER
$550MILLIONPROJECTS SUPPORTING
COMMUNITIESFOR
24 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
State Rep. Holly Grange
doesn’t give the
impression of someone
easily intimidated or
overwhelmed. If anything, it’s
her warm personality, easiness in
conversation and preference that
we call her by her first name that
illustrate the comfort she has in
her command and mission -- more
anchored to people and community
than formalities and politics. In a
case for that, this Wilmington-based
lawmaker said there weren’t any
particular issues that sparked her
run for House in 2016; instead, her
noticeable dedication to public
service led District 20 voters to ask
her directly. Maybe her background
as a one of the first women to
graduate from West Point, or as
a platoon leader, or as a steady
community volunteer gave them
ideas. Maybe they noticed the hard-
fighting quality that prepared her for
it all to begin with. She’s now in her
second term in the North Carolina
House and set aside time in her busy
schedule to tell Southern City more
about what drives her.
So, when you first ran for this office, it wasn’t for any individual political issue, but more a broad desire to serve?
I’ve been that way my whole life. I
was in the military, I was active duty
for almost nine years. I’m from a
military family, so I’ve always served,
even when I left active duty. I was
a military wife in Europe and in the
United States. I’ve always been a
volunteer here in the community. So,
public service seemed to be a natural
fit.
Tell us more about the military family dynamic.
My father was in the Army. I
graduated high school in Fayetteville,
because he was at Ft. Bragg in
the 82nd Airborne. I was born in
Germany, so we’ve lived all over.
When I graduated high school in
Fayetteville, I went on to West Point,
which was my father’s alma matter
as well. When I graduated from
West Point, I was commissioned a
second lieutenant in the Army Corps
of Engineers, and went back to Fort
Bragg for five years.
Wait, so West Point. What year did you graduate?
I graduated in 1982. I was in the third
class with women. The first women
went in in 1976…. I had always wanted
By Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
Ready for the MissionRep. Holly Grange Reflects on Military Background,
Full-Time Task as Legislator
Rep. Holly Grange, surrounded by mementos and accolades, in her office at the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh. Photo credit: Ben Brown
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 25
to go there. And my father, being a
West Point graduate -- it was all male
-- would very kindly tell me when
I was a little girl, “Well, Holly, they
don’t let girls go there.” And then
when they admitted the first women
in ‘76, I kind of thought about it -- I
almost waited too long to apply my
senior year. But somebody talked
me into it. I applied. I was under
18 when I was accepted and that
requires a parental signature in order
to accept your appointment at West
Point. And my father wouldn’t sign.
Because he didn’t think women
should go there. He had memories
of a corps of cadets that’s half the
size of what it is now, and it was very
difficult. There was physical hazing,
it was physically demanding. And
he didn’t want to let his little girl to
go through that. But by the time I
graduated, he was as happy as a pig
in mud. He was very proud. And he
was the one who encouraged me to
go into the Corps of Engineers. He
told me that I wanted to go into a
branch where I would be compared
to men, not compared to other
women – meaning, he didn’t think I
needed to go into quartermaster or
transportation, those branches that
have a lot of women. And so I chose
the Army Corps of Engineers.
What did you do at the Corps?
My first job at Fort Bragg I was a
bridge platoon leader, of a medium
girder bridge platoon. It was an all-
male platoon because women at the
time were not allowed to be bridge
builders, because you had to carry
around pieces of bridge that could
weigh several hundred pounds. But I
Rep. Grange first ran for House in 2016 after district residents approached her with support. Photo credit: Ben Brown
26 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
had 15 to five-ton dump trucks and a
platoon full of men.
Themes are coming up of adaptability....
I think I am pretty adaptable. I think
that West Point did prepare me to
be a platoon leader, and you evolve
as a soldier. I was very athletically
inclined back then. I ran track and
cross-country at West Point. And
at Fort Bragg at that time, it was
the early ‘80s. And it was very
important that you be able to stay in
formation and you could complete
a physical training run. And that was
back when we ran in boots, by the
way. I could run my platoon into the
ground (laughter).... I also think I’ve
always tried not to take things too
personally. There were women at
West Point when I was there who
-- everything was a personal attack.
And I think I learned to maybe let
things roll off my back a little better,
and that made me more adaptable to
the situation.
How did this influence you in terms of career and getting to where you are right now?
I’m very goal-oriented. I’m very
mission-oriented. I like to see things
through and get things accomplished.
So when there are barriers thrown
in my way, I will work very hard to
get around those barriers, or even
barrel right through them. In some
situations, I have to do that.
And as a legislator?
The first thing I learned as a legislator
is that nothing starts on time.
Legislative time is what they call it.
So, even something as simple as
a caucus meeting or a committee
meeting -- most of them do not start
on time, and that is very frustrating
if you’re that type of person who
has that military mentality. It helped
prepare me, and I think I work well
with others. I’m not narrowly focused.
I have developed a way to look at
the big picture, and that helps as a
legislator because sometimes you
can see unintended consequences of
what you’re doing in legislation.
To that end, context and communication are vital. What’s your philosophy on that? Having a legislative district to represent with different areas and communities...
First of all, a lot of that stuff to me, I
don’t look at it as a partisan. I think
that’s important, because I have to
work with both parties, I have to work
with every race. So I like to think I’m
approachable. I try to smile a lot. I try
to be friendly, approachable. There
are some people you’re afraid to go
up and talk to them. I don’t want to
be that person. I want people to feel
like they can call me. I usually insist
that they call me Holly. If they call
me representative, that’s fine, but
I usually insist on them calling me
Holly, because that’s who I am. And I
was very involved in the community
before I entered public office. So I
developed a lot of relationships in
the community, with government
and with the movers and shakers, the
people who run all the nonprofits....
The mayor, their government relations
person, the county commissioners,
they all have my number and they
just text me if there’s something they
need or don’t like. I don’t always go
For more information contact your Retirement Plans
Specialist Kimberly Stone at
919-570-8670 or toll free at866-838-6769
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 27
along with what they say, but I am
able to explain why I’m supporting
what I’m supporting.... But what I
will not respond to are those mass-
produced emails, where I get 40
emails that say the exact same
thing.... Those, I do not respond to.
You still serve in other roles in your district, too, right?
I’m on an advisory board at UNCW
for the Swain Center for Executive
Development. I also am on the board
of trustees at Coastal Horizons
Center, which does mental health
and substance abuse (treatment),
and I’ve been on that board probably
the longest of any board I’ve been
on. And I’m still on the Cape Fear
Community College Foundation
board. Those are just purely
volunteer. I’m also on the travel and
tourism board; the speaker appointed
me to that. But I’ve been a board
member for USO of North Carolina.
Veterans and military issues are very
important to me. I was appointed
by Gov. McCrory to be on the Ports
Authority. That kind of got me started
in government more than some of the
other boards I was on.
What interested you in the House, specifically?
There was an open seat. My
predecessor was a gentleman
named Rick Catlin, who resigned. I
was approached by some people
in town to consider running for it.
And I decided to run. I did not have
a general election opponent, but I
did have a primary. That was my first
election, 2016.
Do you recall your first impressions here? Any surprises?
I don’t think I was surprised at things.
The freshman class kind of stuck
Rep. Grange with supporters on the campaign trail. Photo courtesy of Rep. Grange’s legislative office
So I developed a lot
of relationships in the
community, with government
and with the movers and
shakers, the people who
run all the nonprofits.... The
mayor, their government
relations person, the county
commissioners, they all have
my number and they just text
me if there’s something they
need or don’t like. I don’t
always go along with what
they say, but I am able to
explain why I’m supporting
what I’m supporting....
Rep. Holly Grange
28 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
together. We were all friends and
would seek each other out. They
did have orientations for us and we
had one on the House floor, and we
had another at the UNC School of
Government. It kind of gives you the
basics, but it takes a while to get
used to how things work. I hate to
say it, but it is an old boys club in the
legislature. But the Army was, too. I
was an engineer officer when I was
in the Army. And there were only,
I think, 2 percent of women in the
engineer corps, 98 percent men. And
at West Point as well. Back then there
were very few women at West Point.
So you get used to maneuvering
and being able to handle that
type of situation. You have to be
very outgoing if you want to be
successful and you have to be able
to sometimes barrel your way into a
situation and prove to people you can
handle it.
Anyone who’s seen a legislative day transpire knows it’s a busy gig, even if we do call it “part time.” How do you balance time?
Well, my husband’s the primary
breadwinner. But I come to Raleigh
every Monday, and when we’re in
session, I have to schedule things in
Wilmington for Fridays or Monday
mornings, and then head to Raleigh
midday on Monday. You get used
to it. But even when we’re not in
session, I’m up here quite a bit. But, as
you just said, this past short session
was not short. We were here three
days before New Years. And things
happen, like hurricanes and such.
What do you do in the little time you’re not legislating?
We have a farm in Bladen County....
I like going out there. We have a
shooting range out there. I’m a
concealed-carry instructor, and we’ll
go out to the farm. I find that most of
my weekends are spent catching up,
but I do like to travel. We’ve traveled
all over the world. And I have my
little workout routines that I go do to
get some exercise, because it’s hard
to get exercise. I have to get up at 5
a.m. if I want to get in some exercise
before my 8:30 a.m. Education
Approps Committee meeting. SC
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 29
The word “home” gets
thrown around a lot these
days at the North Carolina
League of Municipalities.
That’s because it’s more of an
elusive concept for the organization
that’s lived in temporary
headquarters since 2017, when a
historic, five-alarm fire in downtown
Raleigh devastated the League’s
longtime campus.
Having run out its time at its
current temp home -- the Wells
Fargo Capitol Center on Fayetteville
Street in the Oak City -- the League
is moving again, this time right down
the street to the BB&T skyscraper
formally known as Two Hannover
Square.
“The BB&T building is a great
move for our organization,” said
League Executive Director Paul
Meyer.
Meyer pointed out how
fundamentally difficult it is to pick
up and move an organization of
the League’s size within downtown
Raleigh.
“Demand is high for office
space, and opportunities disappear
quickly,” he said. “But thanks to our
very hardworking staff here at the
League, we’ve moved into a space
that enables us to best serve our
member cities and towns.”
Standing at 29 stories, the BB&T
building now houses the League on
floor 19. Insurance services, public
and government affairs, and other
internal operations will fill out the
space.
The move began in mid-April
-- coinciding with planning and
execution of the League’s annual
conference, CityVision, held this
year in Hickory on a new, springtime
schedule.
But it wouldn’t be the first time
the League was deep in the throes
of major event-planning during a big
move. It’s exactly what happened in
March 2017, when the fire displaced
the organization. The fire came just
a few days before Town Hall Day,
at the time the League’s biggest
advocacy event. (Thankfully, it was a
major success.)
The League Board of Directors,
as of this writing, continue to work
with original campus co-owners,
the N.C. Association of County
Commissioners, on redevelopment.
SC
By Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
NCLM HAS NEW HOME
(Again)
Left: The League is now on floor 19 of the BB&T skyscraper.Above: The League’s Kristin Milam discusses the outfitting of the new office with its designer. Photo credits: Ben Brown
30 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
If you haven’t kept count, Pepsi
has gone through at least 11
logo iterations since the brand
got off the ground in New
Bern in 1898. It’s an evolution that
marketing scholars continue to pin as
a case study in generational change,
expectations, and vision of a long-
lived company known for a steady,
core product.
From the original cursive logo,
to the catchy bottlecap design of
the 1940s, to the minimal and clean
circular look of the ‘70s, through to
the overly scientific 2009 overhaul –
actually based on concepts like the
earth’s gravitational pull (“attraction
theory”) and the exponential
expansion-rate of the universe (a
force for the future) – the company
has always taken seriously the details
of its logo and how it harmonizes
with the times.
So has the League, which is
now unveiling a fresh, new logo
and tagline that sharpen the
organization’s vision, clarify its
dedication to a better North Carolina,
modernize its aesthetics and carry
forward a rich history of service to
cities and towns dating back to its
1908 founding (just 10 years after
that first Pepsi-Cola).
With the new tagline is a new text
logo and icon -- clear and clean, yet
energetic and bold lettering of the
organization’s name next to a graphic
of overlapping squares. The stylized
squares vary in size, representing
the dynamics and diversity of our
cities and towns, both separately
and together working to better the
lives of their residents and all North
Carolinians.
This rebranding wasn’t overnight
work. It involved depths of research,
analysis of the old branding (still in
effect at the time), interviews with
municipal representatives, creative
conversations, a focus group and
much more.
‘Working as One. Advancing All.’ “Working as one. Advancing all.”
is the new encapsulation of the
League’s purpose. For the more than
540 cities and towns that make up
the League, the tagline highlights
how much stronger we are when
we work together on shared goals.
For League staff, it’s all about the
support it gives its members through
advocacy, expertise and tailored
offerings like insurance, so each
municipality can be best positioned
for success.
League Unveils New Logo, Tagline As Organization
Looks to FutureBy Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
NCLMNC LEAG
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 31
self-determination, inclusiveness,
collaboration and responsiveness.
With its new branding in place,
the League carries forward its
consummate experience in municipal
governance and member services,
with enthusiasm for 21st century
challenges, teamwork, and the
nuances that define each of our
communities.
Ultimately, it’s still the League
you know and trust, but with a fresh
approach for today. With this new
energy, we’re doing what we’ve
always done relying on the strength
of our members -- we’re working as
one to make North Carolina better for
all.
The League debuted its rebranding
at the CityVision 2019 conference in
Hickory. SC
Most importantly, the League
sought the right group of experts to
shepherd the lengthy process.
In a process all its own, the League
carefully vetted branding companies
to locate a partner best suited for the
task and found that in award-winning
Raleigh-based agency Clean.
Clean’s vast client list includes big
corporations like Lenovo and Red
Hat, large public entities like N.C.
State University and GO Triangle,
chambers of commerce and
visitorship groups, and other, local
efforts in communities around the
state -- a spread of diversity nicely
attuned to organizations like the
League.
“We get local government,” Clean
told the League.
Mission and Values As the deliverables were being
developed, the League also updated
its mission and values statements.
“The North Carolina League of
Municipalities is a member-driven
organization representing the
interests of cities and towns in
the state,” begins the new mission
statement. “Through their collective
efforts, League member cities and
towns better serve their residents
and improve quality of life.
“For more than 100 years,” it
continues, “the League has been one
voice for cities and towns working for
a better North Carolina.”
Its refreshed values statement
emphasizes that the League will be
guided by its commitment to service,
NCLMNC LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES
“The North Carolina League
of Municipalities is a
member-driven organization
representing the interests of
cities and towns in the state.
Through their collective
efforts, League member
cities and towns better serve
their residents and improve
quality of life. For more than
100 years, the League has
been one voice for cities and
towns working for a better
North Carolina.”
NCLM Mission Statement
The new logo incorporates boxes of differing sizes joining as one unit, together, as our diverse member cities and towns do as a statewide League.
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Offering multi-discipline engineering, land planning and recreation, and consulting services
32 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
There is a scary statistic
regarding disaster recovery
that gets floated around a lot:
more than 40 percent of businesses
never reopen after a disaster. For
those that do manage to survive,
only 29 percent were still operating
after two years.
This is why disaster recovery and
business continuity are so critical in
helping improve the chances of a
business recovering back to normal
after a disaster. Business continuity
is the process of restoring business
operations after a disaster; disaster
recovery is the process of restoring
information technology operations
after a disaster.
Starting at NCLM, one of the
first things I did was perform an
assessment of the IT system and
processes. While we had some
strengths, the limitations were
concerning – especially when it came
to disaster recovery. Leadership had
to be made aware of the results.
After struggling to align calendars for
weeks, a meeting was scheduled for
March 16, 2017.
In that meeting, I covered the
strengths and weaknesses of the
League’s current Information
Technology. Our main concern : the
organization’s footing in the event
of a disaster. I also outlined some
intermediate steps and long-term
solutions in the event of disaster
striking.
Ironically, that very night, a fire
broke out next door and destroyed
our office buildings. Unfortunately,
all my outlined concerns from the
assessment came true. We were
able to quickly pivot and resume
operations as normal; however, the
assessment and educating leadership
beforehand about our IT weakness
and the potential solutions played a
crucial role in our success. Everyone
knew where we stood and what we
could do.
There are different approaches
an organization can take when
preparing for a disaster, but the
most important thing is just to start
and sooner rather than later. The
following are ways to get started:
• Do an honest, full assessment of your Information technology. Understand how your applications
are connected, where your data is
stored, how your phones work and
how people use those systems.
Document them. Conduct a
business analysis to identify critical
functions and the resources that
support them
• Determine gaps between your organization’s recovery requirements and current
capabilities. Identify what
strengths and weaknesses exist if
there is a disaster. For example, is
your data in the cloud? Is it backed
up? Do people know how to work
from home or a remote location?
Identify what your key systems are
and how often they are backed up.
• Organize a business continuity team and conduct training, testing, and exercises to evaluate your recovery strategies. Identify
key personnel that will be involved
in the recovery and their roles.
For example, who will handle the
communications in the event of
a disaster? What vendors and
partners need to be involved to
help you resume operations?
Document all your vendors and
what their role is. Know how often
your data is backed up and what
is the realistic time to get services
back in operations.
• Identify what potential disasters your organization could be impacted and the risk level. Also,
identify manual workarounds that
need to be in place for critical
business functions. There will
be different levels of responses
required for different situations
(natural disasters, nation and
international events, technology
and critical hardware failures, etc.).
Facing Forward
Business Continuity: Making Your Municipality’s IT and Other Systems Disaster ReadySunil Rajan, Ph.D., NCLM Director of Information Technology
continued on page 43
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 33
O ften the term
“affordable housing”
is associated with
urban areas and the
need to assist the poor in having
a safe and adequate place to call
home. No doubt, larger cities in
North Carolina and across the
country continue to lead the way
when it comes to policies intended
to address affordable housing.
But the challenges that those
larger cities face are increasingly
complex, involving residents across
income levels. And now, more
and more cities and towns – of all
sizes – are seeing a diverse array
of challenges in ensuring that their
residents have the housing needed
for their communities. From a lack
of adequate housing stock for
people of many income levels to
workforces being disconnected from
employers to rising homelessness,
the challenges are growing.
Against that backdrop, it should
have come as no surprise that
members of the North Carolina
League of Municipalities, at NCLM’s
Advocacy Goals Conference in
late November, made affordable
housing a key advocacy priority. The
legislative goal adopted reads, “Seek
legislation that provides additional
tools and financial resources for
addressing the affordable housing
crisis.”
North Carolina is hardly alone
when it comes to the search for
solutions to find more affordable
housing options, as the issue has
been characterized by many as a
crisis at the national level.
In response, the National League
of Cities over the last year has issued
a series of reports, created a task
force and launched an initiative to
seek federal solutions to address
Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis
By Scott Mooneyham, NCLM Director of Political Communication and Coordination
The affordable housing crisis has played out in communities of all sizes. Photo credit: Shutterstock
34 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
affordable housing. A key report
looking across all states, “Local Tools
to Address Housing Affordability,”
concludes that North Carolina cities
and towns have tools available
that include authority for limited
(voluntary) inclusionary housing
– allowing for the development of
affordable housing alongside market-
rate units -- and housing trust funds
that encourage development of
affordable housing. But what is also
true, and not included in the report,
is that a state tax credit that had
incentivized the development of
affordable housing was eliminated
earlier this decade. Also, the state
Housing Trust Fund, a key state tool
providing matching funds for private
developments designed to create
more affordable housing, has seen
funding drop in recent years, from
$22 million in 2007 to $7.7 million in
2017 (representing a slight increase
over 2015).
Several of the state’s larger cities
have been responding by putting
more local dollars toward affordable
housing. In Durham, Mayor Steve
Schewel is pushing for a $95 million
bond issue to address the crisis,
saying gentrification and the lack of
affordable housing is the number one
policy issue facing the city. Winston-
Salem and Charlotte have worked
with banks and other private-sector
partners to boost funding efforts for
affordable housing.
But as noted earlier, and in the
NLC report, the affordable housing
challenge is not confined to larger
cities. Tourism communities that
struggle to provide the kinds of
housing that services workers can
afford amid rising home prices
represents one aspect of that
challenge; another is rural towns
where the quality of rental and
owned homes may have declined
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Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 35
over time as population remains flat
or drops.
“America’s housing crisis is
worsening as housing prices continue
to rise while wages stay flat,” National
League of Cities Immediate Past
President President Mark Stodola,
mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas,
pointed out last year. “Research
has shown that there’s not a single
city, county or state where a worker
earning minimum wage can afford
a two-bedroom rental by working a
standard 40-hour week. We must act
now so America’s cities can continue
to be the strength of our nation, with
affordable housing that contributes
to the economic vitality of our
communities.”
The NLC report, issued in March,
also noted that:
There is a simple truth that
connects every person in every city,
town and village across America:
They want a safe, affordable place
to call home. A place to raise their
families, enjoy meals with friends
and rest their heads at night. But
for too many people across the
country, that vision of home is not
accessible, affordable, or in many
cases, available.
The report looks at five tools
that need to be in cities’ and
towns’ toolboxes to bring more
affordable housing to more residents:
inclusionary housing, rent control,
housing voucher holder protections,
housing trust funds, and state tax
incentive programs. The report
concludes:
The significant housing problem
facing our country is compelling
cities and states to rethink how
they address the issue, and to
adapt the relationship they have
with each other to meet the scale
of the challenge. Cities can take
a number of steps to achieve the
careful balance of local flexibility
and mutual housing affordability
goals, including:
• Review, strengthen and update low-hanging fruit tools. Nearly all cities have control over local planning, zoning and development regulations and can carefully examine these tools to improve housing options across income levels. For example, cities can relax density requirements in areas designated as single family, modify parking requirements and streamline development processes for projects with an affordability component.
• Fill a policy vacuum. Cities in 23 states do not have state or local sources of income protections for
“Research has shown that
there’s not a single city,
county or state where a
worker earning minimum
wage can afford a two-
bedroom rental by working a
standard 40-hour week.”
Mark Stodola, National League of
Cities Immediate Past President
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36 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
housing voucher holders. These states also do not have explicit restrictions on local fair housing, meaning that many cities have the opportunity to create policies to limit discrimination and help extend housing options to those using housing vouchers.
• Proactively engage state partners. For example, cities in the state of Utah have been working with the state legislature and state Commission on Housing Affordability to craft a bill that not only accelerates affordability in regional housing markets across the state, but also offers cities flexibility to do so in ways that meet their unique needs.
• Leverage State Programs for Local Investment. Leverage state programs for local investment, such as state tax credits and
state housing trust funds.
No matter the solution, the plan or
the type of city, a productive local-
state relationship is at the heart of
providing housing opportunities
for people across the income
spectrum. After all, ensuring
everyone has a place to call home
is a priority for all cities and states.
With that thought involving
effective local-state relationships
in mind, it is clear this legislative
session state lawmakers have
recognized affordable housing as a
significant policy challenge, forming
work groups and filing several local
bills focused on the issue. Efforts
by the League and others seeking
more funding for the state Housing
Trust Fund and other pools of
money designed to leverage private
development dollars will also be part
of the mix this legislative.
At the same time, the affordable
housing crisis was many years in
the making. It will not be addressed
in a single year. And it will require
government at all levels working
together, and with private-sector
partners. Look for the League and
its affiliates to help facilitate those
discussions as so much of the state
and its towns and cities – big, small
and in-between – understand that
there will need to be comprehensive
approaches to assure that citizens
have a safe and adequate place to
call home. SC
What do 1.2 million North Carolinians have in common? Their homes and workplaces are illuminated by public power. At ElectriCities, we are proud to be the energy behind public power. And although we recognize that all communities are di�erent, public power communities across our state do share some important key values.
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Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 37
Dynamic changes are
occurring throughout the
North Carolina fire service
creating increased complexity
for local governments. Today,
many leaders of fire protection
service delivery systems are
faced with managing greater
risks and hazards while
simultaneously navigating
against demanding staffing
challenges and increasing costs
to provide essential fire and
rescue services.
Never has strategic planning
and critical analysis been
more important to continuous
improvement for the fire
service. EnviroSafe brings
tremendous experience and
strong technical expertise
for Fire Chiefs, County and
Municipal Managers and
local elected officials. An
independent review by a
credible team of highly
experienced and trusted fire
chiefs can provide leaders
with valuable perspectives on
needed organizational and
system improvements.
In each edition of Southern City, the Preferred Partner Spotlight
features one of the League’s Preferred Partners, select vendors that
have entered into agreements designed to save cities and towns
money through bundled purchasing and service arrangements.
Illustrative professional fire management services from EnviroSafe include:
• Strategic Planning
• Service Delivery Needs Analysis
• Standards of Coverage Analysis
• Contract Development and Facilitation
• Fire District Transition
• Fire Station Placement
• Fire Chief Selection and Promotional Processes
• Human Resource Assistance
• Professional Development, Mentoring and Coaching
• HR Based Causation Analysis
• Interim Chief Fire Officer Leadership
• Fire Apparatus Evaluation and Fire Station Facility Analysis
• Capital Improvement Plan Review and Analysis
• Emergency Operation Post Incident Analysis
Utilizing fire service industry
and North Carolina best practices,
EnviroSafe constructs customizable
solutions for local governments to meet
each community’s individual needs
to address specific challenges. We
provide both specific project assistance
and long-term fire management
retainer programs. EnviroSafe serves
as the fire service consultant for the
North Carolina League of Municipalities
(NCLM) enabling all NCLM members to
receive reduced professional services
rates. EnviroSafe staff are strategically
located in the Western, Piedmont and
Eastern regions of North Carolina. To
any local government considering our
services, we encourage you to talk with
any of our previous or current clients
about our service, quality and value.
Contact Chief Greg Grayson with
EnviroSafe at 336-266-7998 or
[email protected] to discuss
creating an effective, comprehensive
solution for your jurisdiction’s fire
protection challenges.
EnviroSafe Strengthens NC Fire and Rescue Service
Delivery Systems
Preferred Partners Spotlight
38 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Here’s something you
might’ve heard before:
“Why aren’t more young
people interested in
local government careers?”
The answer: they are. But not every
community feels it.
“There’s simultaneously a huge
workforce challenge on the local
government end and a huge interest
from young leaders, but very few
efforts that are effectively bridging
those two sides,” said Joe Nail,
founder of Lead for America, which
aims to help promising young leaders
directly into public service careers
in their hometowns or in small
communities that need them.
Nail’s national initiative, launched
last year, is now in partnership with
the League to extend game-changing
possibilities to smaller towns across
North Carolina. Lead along with the
League, UNC School of Government,
N.C. Association of County
Commissioners and the N.C. City and
County Management Association
will, this summer, power-train bright,
recent college grads to fulfill two-
year paid fellowships in small or rural
local governments around the state.
The League is financially supporting
Lead, with the Board of Directors
dedicating $25,000 to the effort.
It’s called Lead for North Carolina,
and it won’t pitch local government
as a resume-builder. This program
hopes to change the landscape with
permanence.
“We are not seeing local
government as just a means to an
end, and are making sure that we’re
not selecting folks who view it that
way,” said Nail. “We want to make
sure that this is something that’s
really a long-term investment in
communities, a long-term investment
in the profession, and a long-term
investment in the state.”
That is, fellows placed by the
program will ideally stay and effect
change in those communities as a
career.
While it sounds like the right idea
on its own, Lead’s vision begins to
feel urgent under ongoing staffing
challenges like the so-called
retirement wave crashing over the
public sector. In 2016, the magazine
Governing, citing a Center for State
and Local Government Excellence
survey, reported that more than half
of governments surveyed at the
time reported a rise in retirements.
Retirement-age baby boomers were
found to hold a considerable chunk
of senior management positions.
Recruitment and retention stood
out as the most pressing matter to
surveyed governments, followed by
succession-planning and professional
development, Governing reported.
But even without that, many
small to medium local governments
find they’re not magnets for a new
generation.
“The biggest challenge facing
municipalities today is bench
strength. Who will manage our
communities in the coming
years?” said League Business and
Membership Development Director
Jennifer Cohen. “Who will help create
the sustainable, robust cities of
By Ben Brown, NCLM Communication and Multimedia Strategist
League Partners With ‘Lead for North Carolina’
The initiative is prepping college-age individuals for impactful work in local government in communities that need them. Photo credit: Shutterstock
“Lead for North Carolina
gives us a chance to
introduce talented young
people to the industry of
municipal government. Our
hope is that a connection
will be made and they will
choose to live, work and
lead here and make North
Carolina an example of what
our hometowns can and
should be.”
Jennifer Cohen , NCLM
Business and Membership
Development Director
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 39
tomorrow? Lead for North Carolina
gives us a chance to introduce
talented young people to the
industry of municipal government.
Our hope is that a connection will be
made and they will choose to live,
work and lead here and make North
Carolina an example of what our
hometowns can and should be.”
For its first year, Lead will prep and
place 25 fellows in local government
jobs in small to medium communities,
like Shallotte and Wilson.
“Over half of our fellows for this
year will be returning to their true
hometowns,” Nail said, so important
as young, local talent often leaves
for college and looks for post-grad
employment where they can find it –
not often in the towns they grew up
in.
Their training – in everything from
budgeting to political cycles to public
engagement – will take place at the
School of Government, and partners
including the League are helping to
ensure the program is in step with
these communities’ needs. Even
during their placement, fellows will
receive training.
Success isn’t hard to imagine. In
building the program, Nail’s group
surveyed hundreds of rising-star
college students about what they
look for in a post-grad career path,
and found that local government fit
almost all of the common criteria.
Ranked by popularity, they were:
meaningful work; being surrounded
by a community of engaged peers;
having mentorship and advancement
opportunities; and skills training.
The fifth criterium was good
compensation, and while Small Town,
N.C. might not be able to match
the HR-power of a metropolitan
megacompany, Nail said town
halls can create a totally fulfilling
experience around the other pieces.
“Local leadership and local change
is just as important as ever,” he said,
“especially with paralysis in our
national politics.”
More information is at
lead4america.org, including a portal
to apply for the program. For the
current cohort, Lead facilitators
as of this writing are finishing up
recruitment for communities on
a timeline to begin training this
summer and place fellows for two-
year commitments starting in August.
Recruitment will continue for a
new cohort in the following year. SC
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40 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
National OnDemand selects downtown Burlington as its new headquarters. Photo credit: City of Burlington
National OnDemand selects Burlington for new Corporate Headquarters
National OnDemand plans
to renovate the vacant
Bank of America building
located in downtown Burlington.
With this project, the company will
be investing $1.1 million and creating
33 jobs with an annual payroll of $2.3
million.
National OnDemand operates
in the Midwest and southeast
United States. The company has
1,000 employees operating out
of 23 offices with-in 11 states. The
Burlington headquarters will host the
company’s core executive, finance
and human resources.
“We are excited to purchase and
renovate our new headquarters
in Burlington, NC,” said Douglas
Boteler, co-founder and CEO of
National OnDemand, in a statement.
“This new location will offer many
great amenities for our employees
and help us to attract new team
members that will play a key role
in the continued success of our
company for years to come. The
team did a great job working with
both the city and the state to make
this project become a reality and
The funding will be granted to the
company upon the completion of
rehabilitation work and meeting job
creation goals. National OnDemand
plans to begin operations at the
Burlington headquarters by summer
of 2019.
Burlington Economic Development
Director Peter Bishop stated, “We’re
thrilled that National OnDemand
has selected Burlington for their
new headquarters. This project
brings 33 jobs with excellent salaries
into the middle of our emerging
downtown, meaning more customers
and activity for other merchants.
Even better, National OnDemand
is renovating and improving a
prominent vacant building, activating
dormant space with a vibrant
company.
“The City worked closely
and under tight timelines with
the Economic Development
Partnership of North Carolina and
NC Commerce’s Rural Economic
Development Division to ensure
Burlington could secure this
headquarters project. We’re grateful
their support.”
we are very thankful for all of their
support.”
National OnDemand co-founder
and COO Tim Standafer added, “This
deal is a win-win all around, we are
able to move into a beautiful building
in charming downtown Burlington
and the city gets a growing
company to occupy one of the larger
structures within its historic core.
We recognize that Burlington has
a lot of to offer our employees and
we’re excited to grow with the city.
I would like to thank Wade Boteler
who worked closely with Peter
Bishop and the city of Burlington to
secure the grant. We are grateful for
all of the hard work by Mr. Bishop
and the city to make downtown
Burlington our new home.”
The Building Reuse Program
provides grants to local governments
to renovate vacant buildings,
renovate and/or expand buildings
occupied by existing North Carolina
companies, and renovate, expand or
construct health care facilities that
will lead to the creation of new jobs
in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties and in
rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties.
Talk of our
Towns
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 41
The campaign’s goal is to see a park within a half-mile of everyone in the United States. Pictured is the City of Raleigh’s Walnut Creek greenway trail. Photo credit: Todd Milam
National OnDemand’s
announcement joins a host of other
new businesses, residences, art and
events that are building momentum
in Downtown Burlington. Burlington
BeerWorks, North Carolina’s first
cooperative brewery, will open in
March while May Hosiery Lofts, a
67-unit historic apartment project,
opens this fall. In February, artist
Casey Lewis, of Beechwood Metals,
unveiled the “Heart of Downtown,” a
7’ x 5’ welded steel heart, in a plaza
on Front Street.
“An investment of this size in
Downtown Burlington is an exciting
step forward. The Burlington
Downtown Corporation looks
forward to working with National
OnDemand as they bring jobs,
technology, and vitality to a vacant
space in our district,” said Burlington
Downtown Corporation Executive
Director Jessica Pasion. “I’m proud
that our Downtown is a hub for
innovation, and National OnDemand
not only brings a new energy to
that hub, but fits in seamlessly with
the positive momentum here,” she
added.
Raleigh Receives Grant Funding to Support 10-Minute Walk Campaign
Raleigh is one of 10
communities nationwide
receiving funds as part of
the 10-Minute Walk campaign from
the National Recreation and Park
Association (NRPA). The campaign
aims to address the fact that one in
three Americans don’t have a park
within a 10-minute walk (or half-mile)
of home. Raleigh Parks, Recreation
and Cultural Resources will receive
believe everyone deserves a great
park and we’re proud to help lead
this effort that prioritizes parks in
cities and urban areas across the
country.”
Launched in 2017, the 10-Minute
Walk campaign establishes the
ambitious goal that everyone in the
United States should live within a
10-minute walk (or half-mile) of a
high-quality park or green space.
A bipartisan group of more than
220 mayors has joined this effort,
including mayors from the nation’s
largest cities to small towns.
Specifically, the campaign aims to
work with mayors to bring about
city and regional level changes in
three main areas: planning, funding,
and policies. These may include city
bond measures; zoning changes to
encourage park development; park
master plans focused on access
and quality; the expansion of “joint
use” agreements that open school
playgrounds, tracks, and gyms for
public use after hours; and other
innovations.
$40,000 for public engagement
efforts and data analysis.
About 70 percent of Raleigh
residents currently live within a
10-minute walk to a park. The grant
will strengthen public engagement
and data analysis efforts and provide
access to resources, including NRPA’s
Park Metrics, TPL’s Park Serve® and
ULI’s Advisory Services.
Mayor Nancy McFarlane is a proud
participant of the 10-Minute Walk
campaign, led by NRPA, The Trust
for Public Land (TPL) and the Urban
Land Institute (ULI).
“We are fortunate to have parks
spread throughout our City,” said
Mayor McFarlane. This grant will
enhance our Parks and Recreation
planning and will help us continue
to move toward the goal of having
parks within walking distance of all
residents.”
“Parks are essential to the health,
happiness, and prosperity of our
nation,” said Jack Kardys, chair,
NRPA Board of Directors. “We
42 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
The campaign was built on
research that shows access to
high-quality parks within a half
mile of home deliver a wide range
of benefits for urban residents and
cities. These include reducing crime
rates, improving mental and physical
health outcomes (e.g., depression,
anxiety and obesity), increasing
city revenues, and protecting
communities from more flooding,
extreme temperatures and other
impacts from climate change.
Winston-Salem Selected For ‘Watch For Me’ Campaign
Winston-Salem has
been selected to
participate in the
state Transportation Department’s
“Watch for Me NC” campaign to
improve bicycle and pedestrian
safety.
The program aims to reduce
pedestrian and bicycle injuries and
deaths through a comprehensive,
targeted approach of public
education, community engagement,
and high-visibility law enforcement.
Participating communities receive
technical assistance, materials and
advertising assistance.
encourage them to help keep
pedestrians and bicyclists safe,”
Burczyk said, “and there will be
training sessions for local law
enforcement officers so that they
are aware of the laws and how best
to enforce them. And at the end, we
will provide an accounting of the
campaign and its results.”
The campaign will kick off in late
May, Burczyk said, to coincide with
Bike Month and the Winston-Salem
Cycling Classic.
Watch for Me NC began in 2012
with a pilot program involving four
communities. Since then, more than
50 communities have participated.
Up to 10 communities are selected
to participate each year. SC
Matthew Burczyk, the city’s
bicycle and pedestrian coordinator,
said that the program can be
summarized in four words:
education, encouragement,
enforcement and evaluation.
“They provide a lot of materials
to help us educate residents and
Winston-Salem’s ‘Watch for Me’
program kicks off in May, otherwise
known as Bike Month. Photo credit: City of
Winston-Salem Marketing and Communications
Department
919-469-9188info@carolinaparksandplay.comwww.carolinaparksandplay.com
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 43
Facing Forward
continued from page 32
Here We Grow: Hudson Project continued from page 5
hold shows, contests and lessons on site.
It’s up and up from there, “hub” serving operatively in the name.
“We are anxious to see it grow as it becomes a vital part of the Hudson
community and a destination point for all of Caldwell and surrounding
counties,” said Bentley. SC
From the Trust Perspective continued from page 21
program offerings. This is a benefit only available to League members and
isn’t typically available from commercial carriers.
Thank you to the many cities and towns across the state who participate
in the League’s insurance programs. If your municipality is not taking
advantage of this membership service, we welcome the opportunity
to share the competitive coverage we offer and the value-added
programming that will help keep your employees healthier and safer, your
properties better protected, and your claims – and likely your premiums –
down. SC
Your disaster recovery plan
should be aligned with your
business continuity plan. Ensure
you have cyber insurance
and insurance necessary for
the loss of business due to
technology. Putting together
a disaster recovery document
with process and procedures
can seem like a dauting task.
However, thinking about it,
engaging leadership and
documenting will go a long way
to ensuring a business stays in
operations after a disaster. SC
THINK CREATIVELY ACT COLLABORATIVELY LEAD STRATEGICALLY
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officials. Participants will learn how to set and achieve strategic goals, strengthen
existing bonds, and facilitate new connections as elected officials.
Thank you to Prudential for their support of training for elected officials.
44 Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019
Taking the Field
Protecting Existing Property Owners
During a recent Senate
committee meeting in which
a comprehensive land-use
bill was taken up, based on a lot of
the rhetoric tossed around the room,
you might think that cities lived in a
sort of vacuum as entities created
by themselves and acting of their
own volition, blobs on a map with
independent thought and motion.
Of course, that is not reality.
Cities are formed by people, and
their actions are collective ones,
based on the visions and wishes of
local residents acting through their
local elected and appointed officials.
When those locally elected officials
fail to represent that collective will of
local voters, they face the prospect of
being tossed from office.
In this particular case, the land-
use bill in question had been filed
at the behest of the homebuilding
industry. It is one of several filed on
their behalf this legislative session
which would usurp local authority
in an effort to ease subdivision
development. To accomplish its
purpose, the bill being debated by
the Senate committee would have
incentivized land-use litigation and
tilted property rights significantly
in favor of the developer over
the neighboring property owners
adjacent to the development.
That last point is the one that is
most significant here.
Cities, as local regulators, do not
create zoning and other land-use
regulation to make life hard on
developers. By and large, cities and
towns welcome new development.
They want economic activity and
new businesses. They want new
housing stock that makes their
communities attractive to new
residents.
But as local regulators, one of their
primary duties is to protect existing,
neighboring property owners and
their investments. If those property
owners are homeowners, that
home is often the most substantial
investment that they will ever make. If
a neighboring development damages
the value of existing development,
then local regulators have not
adequately performed their job.
In this role, cities essentially are
upholding what Enlightenment
thinkers like John Locke and Jean-
Jacques Rousseau called the
social contract, which explained
government as people coming
together to create an implied
contract to gain certain types of
protections.
Interestingly enough, this latest
land-use legislation, SB 355 Land-
Use Regulatory Changes, ran into
challenges and delays not just
because of concerns expressed by
the League and by cities, but by
developers who understood the value
of negotiations by cities on behalf of
surrounding property owners.
Specifically, large mixed-use
developers in the state’s major urban
areas understood that provisions of
the bill could restrict or even undo
conditional use zoning and permits
that are essential to the multi-million
dollar high-rises in our state’s urban
cores that house a mix of retail, office
and residential space.
And what are these conditional
use permits? They are the negotiated
agreements that allow these large
developments to proceed while
addressing the needs and concerns
of existing, surrounding property
owners so that their objections won’t
mean the scuttling of the project.
Obviously, all property owners
should and do enjoy certain rights
involving the use of that property.
And cities, as regulators, attempt
to balance the rights of each. Even
as we may disagree where those
lines should be drawn, and where
the proper balance lies, state
policymakers need to begin those
discussions with a recognition of the
legitimacy and the desirability of the
local regulator as the protector of
existing property owners and their
rights.
If not them, who? SC
By Paul Meyer, NCLM Executive Director
Southern City 2ND QUARTER 2019 45
403 local government entities insured
15,197 vehicles insured
15,586 structures insured
2,861 claims handled
Property & Casualty
464 local government entities insured
23,648municipal employees covered, including 4,537 police officers
2,228 new claims received
Workers’ Comp
2018 at a GlanceEvents & Education
2,316municipal officials attended 24 live trainings and networking events
13,000municipal employees attended online risk management courses
Debt Setoff
$4,547,293collected by the Debt Setoff Program in debts owed to 291 municipal participants in FY17-18.
$71,616,106total collected since 2002.
Media & Publications
147periodic publications/broadcasts annually with a total distribution of 450,000+ among Southern City, League Letter, Legislative Bulletin, Trust Matters, Municipal Law Notes and the Municipal Equation podcast.
Totally revamped website that is mobile ready, ADA compliant and more modern. We saw more than 85,000 user sessions on the website over the course of the year.
5,446 followers; 86,000+ impressions
2,938 followers; 2,000+ likes
Advocacy & LegalAssistance
112bills tracked, including 69 high-level or critical issues
5 advocacy goals achieved
Filed an amicus brief in one legal case and provided technical help with 10 other cases. Participated in six moot court cases.
1:1 Meetings &Consultations
17 risk management, grassroots and/or operations consultants met with 400+ members for more than 1,000 in-person consultations, including onsite hazard reviews, 170 HR/Employment Liability consultations, 69 Law Enforcement Risk Review requests in process, and more. Health Benefits Trust
Business & MembershipDevelopment
covered lives across group health and voluntary benefits, including medical, vision, dental, short- and long-term disability, and basic life insurance.
17,263
2new preferred partners added – Envirolink and PennCredit – to provide additional services to municipalities at a savings
Grant Funding
$142,000in Wellness Grants to 48 projects
for body armor vests distributed to police departments
$85,000+
They get to see how their savings add up.
One day they’ll see this as a learning opportunity.”
Suzanne B., Green Level Secretary, Town of Green Level Member since 2017
Teaching her little spenders to become big savers. As the mother of five, Suzanne B. appreciates that the Credit Union youth accounts earn dividends just like her Share Account. Her son Houston and daughter Talia, started with Fat Cat Kids Accounts, which automatically turn to Zard accounts when kids become teens. Suzanne says LGFCU makes it easy to help her children create a balance between spending and saving money.
Visit lgfcu.org/join.
Southern City215 North Dawson StreetRaleigh, NC 27603